Unachi Faces Critical Juncture as Council Meets Amidst Rector's Resignation

The Autonomous University of Chiriquí (Unachi) is on edge as its General University Council convenes an extraordinary session Monday morning to address a deepening administrative crisis.

The meeting, scheduled for 9:00 AM, aims to tackle the fallout from Rector Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas' formal resignation and chart a course to fill the leadership vacuum. Uncertainty has gripped the academic community after the academic vice-rector declined to assume interim duties. Internal sources suggest the vice-rector for Research and Postgraduate Studies is now the leading candidate for the transitional rector role.

Absel Navarro, a Unachi professor, stressed the critical need to adhere strictly to university statutes to restore stability and governance. The university is currently navigating one of its most severe institutional crises, marked by social and union pressure. This pressure stems from investigations into alleged irregularities, audits ordered by the Comptroller General, and criminal complaints filed by the Ministry of Education.

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the strict compliance with the university statute is indispensable at this moment to return stability and institutional governance to the institution of higher education.

Adding to the turmoil are allegations of irregular appointments, purported misuse of public funds, and a severe internal financial insolvency. Worker unions have recently denounced improper deductions that were not remitted to the Social Security Fund, banks, or recipients of alimony. The Minister of Economy and Finance, Felipe Chapman, has sharply criticized the institution's financial management, stating that the problem lies not in a lack of budget but in its distribution, citing significantly higher average salaries compared to other central government entities.

The upcoming council session is pivotal for preventing a power vacuum. Following pronouncements from the Attorney General's office clarifying that the council cannot reject a voluntary resignation, the body must formalize the succession according to Panamanian higher education regulations. The appointment of an interim rector will initiate a restructuring process demanded by civil society and critical academic sectors seeking greater oversight.

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the problem of Unachi is not due to a lack of budget, but to the way it is distributed, because it maintains considerably higher average salaries than the rest of the Central Government entities.